Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his team usually performs very strongly
after Christmas, after Wayne Rooney casts doubt on their title ambitions

For Arsenal there are many more reasons to feel composed ahead of Sunday's encounter at a ground where they have failed to win in the league in their last six attempts, including a humiliating 8-2 thumping two seasons ago.

Holding a five-point advantage at the summit for the first time since February 2008, Arsenal have the rare luxury of a guarantee they will stay top even if they lose while victory would put them a huge 11 points clear of champions United.

Arsenal have lost just one of their 10 league games this season to collect 25 points, while David Moyes' United have already suffered three defeats to sit eighth with 17 points more than a quarter of the way into the season.

Victories at last season's Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund and over fellow Premier League pacesetters Liverpool in their last two matches have also helped put Arsenal in a good frame of mind before Sunday's game (1610 GMT).

"We have confidence, but what is at stake is consistency at the top level for us and to be capable of repeating the performances in our last two games, that will certainly be very important for the future of our team," Wenger said.